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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain educational requirements applicable to the |
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regulation of the practice of chiropractic. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 201.052(a), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person is not eligible to serve as a member of the |
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board if the person: |
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(1) is a member of the faculty or board of trustees of |
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a chiropractic school or a doctoral chiropractic degree program; |
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(2) is a stockholder in a chiropractic school or |
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college; or |
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(3) has a financial interest in a chiropractic school |
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or college. |
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SECTION 2. Section 201.159(a), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall preserve a record of its proceedings in |
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a register that contains: |
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(1) the name, age, place, and duration of residence of |
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each applicant for a license; |
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(2) the amount of time spent by the applicant in the |
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study of chiropractic in respective doctoral chiropractic degree |
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programs [schools]; and |
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(3) other information the board desires to record. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 201.302(a) and (d), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) An applicant for a license by examination must present |
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satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant: |
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(1) is at least 18 years of age; |
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(2) is of good moral character; |
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(3) has completed 90 semester hours of college courses |
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[at a school] other than courses included in a doctoral |
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chiropractic degree program [school]; and |
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(4) is either a graduate or a final semester student of |
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a bona fide reputable doctoral chiropractic degree program |
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[school]. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(3), if the Council on |
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Chiropractic Education or another national chiropractic education |
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accreditation organization recognized by the board requires a |
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number of semester hours of college courses [at a school] other than |
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courses included in a doctoral chiropractic degree program [school] |
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that is greater or less than the number of hours specified by that |
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subsection to qualify for admission to a doctoral chiropractic |
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degree program [school], the board may adopt the requirement of |
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that organization if the board determines that requirement to be |
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appropriate. |
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SECTION 4. Section 201.303(d), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) A bona fide reputable doctoral chiropractic degree |
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program [school] that satisfies Section 201.302(a)(4) is one that: |
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(1) has entrance requirements and a course of |
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instruction as high as those of a better class of doctoral |
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chiropractic degree programs [schools] in the United States; |
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(2) maintains a resident course of instruction |
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equivalent to: |
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(A) not less than four terms of eight months |
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each; or |
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(B) not less than the number of semester hours |
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required by The University of Texas for a bachelor of arts or |
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bachelor of science degree; |
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(3) provides a course of instruction in the |
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fundamental subjects listed in Section 201.305(b); and |
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(4) has the necessary teaching staff and facilities |
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for proper instruction in all of the fundamental subjects listed in |
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Section 201.305(b). |
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SECTION 5. Section 201.309, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 201.309. LICENSE ISSUANCE TO CERTAIN OUT-OF-STATE |
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APPLICANTS. The board shall issue a license to practice |
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chiropractic to an out-of-state applicant who: |
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(1) submits a written application to the board on a |
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form prescribed by the board, accompanied by the application fee |
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set by the board and any other information requested by the board; |
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(2) is licensed in good standing to practice |
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chiropractic in another state or foreign country that has licensing |
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requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of this |
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chapter; |
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(3) has not been the subject of a disciplinary action |
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and is not the subject of a pending investigation in any |
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jurisdiction in which the applicant is or has been licensed; |
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(4) has graduated from a doctoral chiropractic degree |
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program [school] accredited by the Council on Chiropractic |
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Education and approved by rule by the board; |
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(5) has passed a national or other examination |
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recognized by the board relating to the practice of chiropractic; |
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(6) has passed the board's jurisprudence examination; |
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(7) has practiced chiropractic: |
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(A) for at least the three years immediately |
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preceding the date of the application under this section; or |
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(B) as a chiropractic educator in [at] a doctoral |
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chiropractic degree program [school] accredited by the Council on |
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Chiropractic Education for at least the three years immediately |
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preceding the date of the application under this section; and |
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(8) meets any other requirements adopted by rule by |
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the board under this chapter. |
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SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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applicant who files an application for a license under Chapter 201, |
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Occupations Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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applicant who files an application before that date is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the application was filed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |